Walt Disney reads the Disneyland dedication plaque before a national television audience; "To all who come to this happy place - welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world." Walt Disney was 53 when he dedicated Disneyland on July 17, 1955.

For many years, Disneyland visitors could take a ride on mules in Frontierland. The attraction was first called the Pack Mules, then changed to Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules after the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train opened (later called the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland). There wasn't much to see other than plants and hills in Frontierland, then Nature's Wonderland including the Living Desert was added in 1956. The mules took their last ride in 1973.

The Miniature Horses could be found inside the Miniature Horses Corral in Frontierland. The corral was removed and the horses retired in 1957.

Two of Frontierland's attractions, the Conestoga Wagon and the Stage Coach, can be seen in this photo. They would take riders on a trip through the backwoods of Frontierland, which is about all they were in 1955. It was a trail through an undeveloped portion of Frontierland in the early days.

The Davy Crockett Frontier Museum opened later in 1955, in October in Frontierland. It also featured the Davy Crockett Arcade.

The Mike Fink Keel Boats were not present on Disneyland's opening day in 1955. However, they did open up to take visitors to Frontierland on tours of the Rivers of America on Christmas Day that year.

Even though Walt Disney did not want a standard amusement park, he did want a merry-go-round. He purchased this one, an original one built by William Dentzel in 1875, from Sunnyside Beach Park in Toronto. He had it modified to make sure all the horses were jumpers on his King Arthur Carrousel in Fantasyland for opening day, July 17, 1955.

Peter Pan's Flight was a unique dark ride on Disneyland's opening day, July 17, 1955. It had riders seated in a pirate ship that "flew" over London and took them to Neverland. The ride has been modified over the years, but still has a lot of the same features from opening day.

Many of the Fantasyland attractions at Disneyland were based on Walt Disney's animated movies including "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." This one, Snow White and Her Adventures, was an opening day "dark ride" type of attraction where riders went along on mine cars to see Snow White's adventures.

Visitors could take a wild ride on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride beginning on July 17, 1955 at Disneyland. The attraction was revamped in 1983, and the jousting tent exterior was replaced with a facade that looks like Toad Hall.

Two weeks after Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, the Casey Jr. Circus Train opened to the public. It appeared to run for the opening day special on television, but it was soon shut down as Walt Disney's Imagineers had to fix a few track problems.

In the rush to get things done, about the only thing to see on the "Canal Boats of the World" were dirt hills in Fantasyland for Disneyland's opening day, July 17, 1955. It was referred to by park operators and Walt Disney as the "mud ditch" ride, as there was not much to see. It bears the distinction of being the first attraction closed and changed by Walt Disney, as it was shut down in September of the same year. Eventually, it would reopen at the Storybook Canal Boats, with miniatures of various settings from Disney movies and is still operating to this day. The tracks for the Casey Jr. Circus Train can be seen behind the boat.

The Golden Horseshoe Revue debuted at Disneyland several days before the park opened as a special show to celebrate Walt and Lillian Disney's 30th anniversary. The show went on for a record setting 39,000 performances inside the Golden Horseshoe Saloon.

The Mark Twain Riverboat was christened by Irene Dunne, of the movie "Showboat." The opening day attraction let visitors board and ride the real steam-powered paddlewheeler for a trip on the Rivers of America. The attraction was actually used a few days before the opening of Disneyland on the date of Walt and Lillian Disney's 30th wedding anniversary.

The Horse-Drawn Streetcars still plod their way up and down Main Street U.S.A. every day, just like they did on Disneyland's opening day, July 17, 1955. But back then, the fare was 10 cents. Now it is included in the admission price.

The Horse-Drawn Fire Wagon was an attraction on Disneyland's opening day. Years later, the wagon would be parked in the firehouse on Main Street U.S.A. where it still sits to this day.

The Horse-Drawn Surrey was an attraction on Main Street U.S.A. on opening day at Disneyland July 17, 1955.

Silent movies on six screens could be seen inside the Main Street Cinema. The original lineup of movies included some with stars like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and more. Nowadays, the cinema showcases six different Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts.

The Penny Arcade featured Mutoscopes, and one week after opening was the location of the Main Street Shooting Gallery.

The Intimate Apparel Shop was sponsored by Hollywood Maxwell. The shop was entered through what is now known as Disneyland's front porch. It was there on Disneyland's opening day and inside featured a small attraction entitled, "The Wizard of Bras.”

“The Wizard of Bras” was a small attraction inside the Intimate Apparel shop on Main Street U.S.A. when Disneyland opened in 1955. The attraction and shop were sponsored by Hollywood Maxwell, one of many sponsors with shops and restaurants on opening day.

The Jungle Cruise dock as it looked opening day at Disneyland on July 17, 1955. Designer Harper Goff was inspired by the movie "The African Queen" for the original look of the boats.

The original Indian Village at Disneyland was located near where the Haunted Mansion is today. It was moved a few years later where Critter Country is now. It featured a dance circle where Native Americans performed authentic dances throughout the day.

In honor of the park’s anniversary, this story is the first of a seven-part series looking at how Disneyland has changed decade by decade. First up, its grand opening in 1955.

When Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, there were sections of it that were not done. A reporter noticed all the construction still ongoing and asked Walt Disney if Disneyland would ever be finished. Disney replied in what has become an oft quoted quote: “Disneyland will never be completed, as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

Disney was true to his word – Disneyland has never been completed and has been changing ever since, even within a few weeks of opening.

Opening day attractions included things that are still there to this day, like The Jungle Cruise, Autopia and the Disneyland Railroad. Other opening-day rides eventually were updated, such as the Mad Tea Party, King Arthur Carrousel and classic dark rides “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Peter Pan” and Mister Toad’s Wild Ride, based on “The Wind in the Willows.” In Frontierland, the Mark Twain Riverboat still sits in the waters of the Rivers of America.

Those that opened within a few weeks of the park’s grand opening include Rocket to the Moon in Tomorrowland along with the Casey Jr. Circus Train and Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Another attraction in Fantasyland that opened in 1955 featured occasional appearances by some of the original Mouseketeers: The Mickey Mouse Club Circus, which took place in a real tent. It also had a variety of circus animals in the show.

One of the earliest changes made was to the Disneyland Railroad, it originally operated with one train stopping at the Main Street Station, and the other at the Frontierland Station. The trains would pass each other at sidings next to each station – evidence of the sidings is still present at the Main Street Station. But a few months later, that was changed so that the trains stopped at each station, giving visitors a way to travel from Main Street to Frontierland or vice versa.

Fantasyland holds the distinction of having the first attraction closed to undergo a major modification. On opening day, there was a boat ride simply called, “Canal Boats of the World.” Riders would board boats that would take them on a tour of a canal that had nothing to see. By September 1955, Disney closed it down to let his Imagineers change it into the Storybook Canal Boats. The new version opened in 1956 with all the miniature scenes from Disney movies and is still going strong.

But others that were there on opening day have disappeared into the annals of Disneyland history, such as “The Wizard of Bras,” which was inside a shop on Main Street U.S.A. called the Intimate Apparel shop, sponsored by Hollywood Maxwell.

Tomorrowland has undergone the most changes, losing a multitude of sponsored exhibits and attractions like “Circarama,” which featured a film on opening day that presented a 360-degree view in a film called “A Tour of the West.” There was even an attraction called “Space Station X-1.”

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.